House of Homecoming
by athousandfandoms
Summary: A young American woman returns to her old boarding school in England, starting off an adventure full of nostalgia, mystery and heartbreak. [My take on Season Four]. Rated T as a precaution for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1: House of Homecoming

House of Anubis: House of Homecoming.

Chapter One: House of Homecoming.

It had been ten years since she last stepped foot in these grounds. Ten years since meeting Amber, Patricia and Mara. Jerome, Mick and Alfie. Ten years since the creepy caretaker, Victor, and his weird immortality cult kidnapped Joy, a fellow student. Ten years since her magical amulet of Horus, which opened up strange passageways underneath Anubis House, her halls of residence.

Ten years since Sibuna. Ten years since Fabian.

She cleared her throat, fighting back watery eyes. The school had closed a few years previously, the official story being a fatal mixture of Government budget cuts and the headteacher, Mr Sweet, retiring. Little did they know, though...

So there it stood, boarded up windows, scrawled graffiti and overgrown lawns. She was standing, she realised, in the very same spot all those years ago, where she had first laid her eyes on that once majestic building.

She pulled her hands out of her jacket, straightening her arms.

That moment, all those years ago. She remembered paying that lovely taxi driver, and turning to see her new home.

Her fingers wiggled in the air. That... that tingle, in the air. That staticky, goosebumps, hairs-standing-on-end feeling. Was it there when she first visited? She had an inkling it had been, and anyone else would have said, at the time, it was just nerves. But now? It was nothing.

She reaised, just as she had once before, realised the way she stood resembled a waddling penguin. She would've laughed at the thought, if she wasn't currently so stressed and depressed.

She shook her head slightly, and tried to say something, just as she tried to before. A "hello", maybe? But once again, she simply swallowed again, and stepped inside.

She managed all of two steps. Again, just like the first time she was here. In her head, she cursed herself.

Eventually, she managed to get to the door. She half expected it to open itself, but it didn't.

For some reason, she tried the doorbell. But the mechanism had rusted, and the button was hard to press. Even when she managed it, though, there was nothing. Not like she expected something, anyway.

The door was a little resistive. Eventually she forced it open, finding a rotted beam laid across the floor. Neglect, or vandalism? It didn't matter.

She stepped into the porch, then into the main hallway of Anubis House.

With all the windows boarded up, and the electricity being disconnected, it was very dark inside, darker than she'd ever seen it. She pulled out her phone from an inside pocket, and turned on the torch.

There was dust everywhere. Dust, and broken glass, and smashed up bits of wood and brick.

She kicked at a large chunk of timber, which laid in her way. It blew a load of dust into the air, sending her into a fit. She gathered a stretch of sleeve, balling it up and coughing into it.

Her torchlight reflected against something. It wasn't glass, though, it was...

"IT'S TEN... OH... CLOCK! YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES... THEN I WANT TO HEAR A PIN..."

Victor's pin. He must have left it here. She remembered now, she had been told he had resigned his position a year or so after she had left. Something to do with her erstwhile classmates' graduation, some possessed girl named Sophia, and a big shiny rock. She hoped that he had done good at the end, paying reparations for his sins, the manipulations and the scheming.

She laughed, almost out loud, at the thought that maybe, just maybe, he might have even become an honorary member of Sibuna. She could imagine his irriation at the eye covering salute.

BANG!

She yelped, and shone the light into the living room. There was something in there...

Someone...

"HEY!"

She shone the torch in the thing's direction. If it was a person, she figured she'd be aiming close enough to their eyes to spook them.

"Ummm... ow?" It was a person! "Could you make, like, move the torch? I don't wanna be blind for the rest of my life."

"WHO ARE YOU?" She barked at the figure.

"Move the torch!" The figure begged.

After what seemed like an eternity, the two found themselves on the front steps of Anubis House. The person who sat a few feet away from her, had turned out to be a young man, with some strange regional British accent.

"So my uncle worked here, taught a couple of different subjects. You'd think with a big old boarding school, they wouldn't need to have teachers doubling up? Maybe it's a budget thing, but it's really inefficient and weird."

"Weird is certainly a word I'd use." He was kinda cute, she thought. Nice smile. Adorably messy chestnut hair. but there was something off about him.

"So what were you doing here?" he asked. She wondered how honest she should be. She paused for a few moments.

"I was an old student here. Had to move away before I could graduate, though. Missed this old place though, so much." None of that was a lie. And it wasn't exactly the school itself she 'missed', but he didn't need to know that.

"That's unfortunate, that you never got to graduate, but it's great otherwise, you being a student." he turned to her. "I'm a journalist, planning to do a historical retrospective on the whole place, its history as both a school and a stately home."

She nodded. Boy, the stories she could tell would probably drive this guy insane.

"If you're willing to share anything, I'd love to hear it." He shoved a business card in her direction. She took it.

"You'd be paid handsomely, of course. Even more so if you could get into contact with any of your old school chums."

She thought about it for a second. Would it be selling out? Or would it be finally be exposing the truth? Desecrating Sarah's legacy, or honouring it? She would have to think about it.

"What was your name?" she asked. She hadn't looked a the business card, yet.

"Jack Winkler." he smiled, offering a hand.

"I'm Nina, Nina Martin." She took it, and shook it.


	2. Chapter 2: House of Style

House of Anubis: House of Homecoming.

Chapter Two: House of Style.

 ** _A/N: Apologies for the delay, various IRL things have got in the way. Hopefully after this chapter, there should be 1-2 weeks at most between chapters. Hope you're all enjoying what little I have so far._**

 ** _This is also a reupload, the previous version had a few publishing errors, which should now be fixed._**

It was the next morning and Nina hadn't decided whether to aid in the younger Winkler's quest, but the thought of it had been bouncing around inside her head all night, and she had barely had any sleep as a result. This, of course, wasn't helping her when it came to the main reason she'd come to England.

The ceremony wasn't for another few days or so, so she certainly had the time to meet up with at least a few of her former classmates. That was, if they also had the time.

So she didn't know how to feel when she discovered that an upcoming fashion show in London was to feature Amber's latest work as a major highlight.

The exhibition was only a few days away, but still had tickets available. She considered inviting Jack, but quickly decided against it. Go slowly with him, she thought. Once the ticket was bought, she book a room in a nearby hotel, and got on the next train South.

She'd seen little of London, even when she was at the school, so she was a little overwhelmed. Sure, Cleveland was bigger, but only just. The culture of San Fran, the politics of Washington, the pizzazz of Hollywood, all mushed up next to each other.

The exhibition itself was in someplace called Soho, which looked super fancy. She hired out a little aquamarine number, with matching clutch bag and heels, got changed in her hotel bathroom, and went to wait in the lobby.

The last time she looked this fancy was at the exhibition party, the last time she and Fabian ever… The taxi driver pulled up outside, and quickly drove through the packed streets to the destination. This one wasn't as talkative as the last, the one who took her on her maiden trip towards Anubis House, but he certainly was hairier.

The reception was a menagerie of suits and dresses, people and fabrics, drinks and hors d'oeuvres from all over the world. She wondered where Amber was, whether she'd ever show her face, make a speech or do an interview. Either way, she was here now, she might as well enjoy the show.

And enjoy it, she did. The majority of the pieces she saw walk down the catwalk were weird and extravagant, but nonetheless beautifully designed and crafted. However, there were a few pieces, a little more subtle, that she later discovered to be the first run of a new season of sportswear, designed in tandem with an Australian soccer team.

So perhaps Mick was involved? She wondered. Maybe they had collaborated, and possibly they'd got back together? The last she'd heard, Amber and Alfie had split up, as had Mick and Mara, two equally wild pairings that she would never have thought possible had she not seen it in person. Honestly, the two of them just fitted together a lot better. A relationship fit for a soapy, cutesy TV show. Maybe she was just an old fashioned romantic, hoping and thinking that, with all teenage romances, a first love stays in a person's heart, forever. Or maybe she was just foolish…

The display finished, with all the models, a dozen gorgeous men and women, all standing in line together and posing for one final snapshot for all the magazines and tabloids. The lights went up, and as the crowds began to disperse, she noticed some reporter stood near the backstage, a camera in her face. She was interviewing two very familiar faces! She waved at them, but they were too far away to hear. Besides, it would've been rude to interrupt her interview.

She walked towards them slowly, beaming like crazy. They didn't exactly look like a couple, very professional and mature, but she kinda hoped that it was just a show for the cameras.

Amber was wearing a wonderful dress, intricately detailed, with matching shawl and fascinator. Mick, meanwhile, was wearing a bright polo shirt, slightly textured with stripes, and modest shorts. He also had much shorter, spiked and gelled hair, and looked a _heck_ of a lot more buff.

The interview ended with a pair of handshakes to the reporter, and the pair instantly got hounded by a swarm of similar looking men and women, a lot of them Nina recognised as other catwalk spectators. They each only had a few seconds to give pleasantries, but there were enough of them to stop Nina for getting to her and properly discuss… anything.

Eventually, she found a gap, and Amber managed a small wave and a smile, and Mick a nod, before further being hounded.

Nina sighed. She resigned herself to the fact that she'd never get a moment with her childhood best friend, and began to walk away.

Then there was chaos. A group of people in identically dressed uniformed barged in. The quiet hubbub was replaced by one of them barking orders. There were police, and they were looking for someone.

Nina looked over at her friends. Without thinking, Amber covered her right eye with her right hand, and mouthed a word she hadn't heard in forever.

At the same time, though, Mick _copied her_. He must have figured it all out, after all this time. Or maybe Amber, or someone else, had told him everything.

Nina beamed. "Sibuna" She whispered, but she could raise her hand, the two fled into a crowd. Trying not to attract attention, Nina followed.

Outside, a block or two away from the venue, the three finally met up. The three had been running, as soon as they were away from the masses. Amber and Nina were out of breath. Mick wasn't, for obvious reason

"Cops, now, seriously?" Nina gasped.

"Oh, my god, Neens, _soo_ much craziness has gone on since the school closed down!"

"Yeah, I guessed that." Amber threw herself into Nina's arms.

"Oomph. Hey there, Amber." She smiled. "Hey, Mick!" He smiled his goofy smile, and scratched his neck.

"So, why did we run? Tell me what's going on! Why does-"Mick's phone rang, and he pulled it out of his shorts pocket. Amber let go of Nina, and turned to him.

"Is it-?" Amber looked concerned. Mick nodded, solemnly, and answered.

"Yeah, we're outside… just off Brewer Street… Yeah, Nina's here."

Without thinking, Nina leaped towards Mick, trying to grab his phone. Amber grabbed her, holding her back.

"Nina, please." Amber hissed.

"It's getting dark, whatever you're doing, make it soon." Mick looked up towards the moon. It would be full in a few days. He gulped.

"Sure. Bye." He hung up.

"Damn it, guys! Tell me!" She was very close to crying. She was surprised she still had tears left.

"Nina. Please. We've missed you, and we'll always love you. Do you trust us?" The two of them put a comforting hand on each of Nina's shoulders.

"The two of them spoke in unison. "Let no man or woman tear them asunder. Sibuna forever."

A matt-black SUV, with blacked out windows and no headlights on, screeched around the corner, stopped a few feet from the three of them, and a door slid open.

Amber kissed Nina on the forehead. Mick looked at the shadowy figures inside.

"Come on, Ambs." The two shuffled quickly towards the car.

"I'm sorry, Nina. Trust us, please."

"What the hell is going on?!" Nina was close to screaming now, she was so frustrated. It seemed they were trying to say something, but in the mess of trying to bundle them inside, she couldn't hear anything clearly.

The vehicle started driving off before the door was even fully closed. Nina ran after it, though she knew it was a futile gesture, and it would be way faster than her, once it got up to speed.

"What do I do now?!" she called to her former friends.

Amber's head popped out, just for a second.

"Sacajawea!"


	3. Chapter 3: House of Fun

"House of Anubis: House of Homecoming.

"Chapter Three: House of Fun.

 _ **A/N: This is a repost. keeps messing up the formatting of my chapters. I don't know why, but I'll keep revising chapters as I see them, and I will attempt to minimise this occurring again.**_

A bell rang out as she passed through the door. She watched it bounce on its little curvy, bronze spring. It looked so delicate, kinda beautiful, but the sound was quickly drowned out when a new song began on the radio.

"Nina had never heard the song, as Victor had always been very strict on volume lessons in Anubis House, so she was surprised, but happy, when she saw other patrons singing, dancing and even miming along with invisible instruments.

"But enough about the music. She was here on business. She hadn't yet made the decision to help with the younger Winkler's exposé. Certainly, if she was ever going to, she'd do it in her own way. Because whatever was going on with Amber and Mick… whether they were criminals now, or they were undercover for the police, she didn't know… she wanted, she needed, answers.

"She worked her way through the store, past the screaming babies, indecisive children and the serious adult collectors, towards a trio of workers. They were all in their late teens, wearing an identical purple shirts, and incredibly indifferent, bored facial expressions. An overweight punky guy with a streak of neon green dye in his hair, a short boy with a mild overbite and glasses, and a black woman with massive hoop earrings. She imagined that the three of them hated working here, and each of them would rather die than hang out with the other two outside of work. But all three were there, so they could at least share in their mutual suffering.

Hey! I need service here!" Nina raised a hand, and began snapping her fingers impatiently, like a snooty businessman at a posh restaurant. At first, the three ignored her, but then, eventually choosing a sacrifice between them, the punk walked over. It was now she realised he was chewing gum, overtly and obnoxiously.

Uh…" he began, between opened mouthed chews. "Welcome to… chew… Lewis and Clark's… chew… Play and Prank... chew… Emporium!" She figured they were supposed to be overbearingly enthusiastic with this greeting, but the punk couldn't care less.

Yes, I…" when Nina opened her mouth, she almost gagged on the overwhelming stench of BO. Nina scowled, swallowed hard, and attempted to speak slowly, to hold back any vomit. "I'm looking for the owner of your store. Either of them."

"The punk sighed, and rolled his eyes.

If you wish to file an official complaint… chew… please fill out a form at the checkout, or… chew… visit our website and visit the… chew… 'Contact Us' section."

"Nina growled. The amount of time and money she had spent on trains and hotels this week already, when she fully knew that she should be focusing on other things…

Okay, as a potential customer, not only do I have every right to see any of those in a managerial position, but I have a personal connection to BOTH of your owners, and a critical issue which has immediate, LEGAL ramifications for the future of you and your colleagues' careers."

"She had no idea how much of that was true, but it sounded scary in her mind. And the punk seemed to buy it. He stopped chewing, and stood up straight.

Right away, madam. Please, follow me."

"She followed the member of staff through the store. In between his two colleagues, who, with a single look from the punk, got to work, one began organising a shelf of jigsaw puzzles, the other headed to an empty checkout.

"The punk led her, through wall-to-ceiling shelves of dolls, painting sets and plastic construction bricks, along a strip of model train. A quaint little train, with real lights and a continuous choo choo sound, rode along beside her for several feet, before turning a corner and weaving back into the rest of the store.

"The two eventually reached a Staff Only door. The punk tapped an ID card against a black box, switching a light from red to green, and the two walked into the stockroom.

"The stockroom seemed to be just as haphazard and messy as the public area, the only difference being the inclusion scissor lift, which sat in the corner. There were patches of chipped plaster visible on the walls, and a coffee machine with half full mugs abandoned by a rough looking sofa.

"The punk walked her through another door, this one was doubled hinged and swung loudly, squeaking constantly. They then got to a flight of stairs, which took a few moments to climb, reaching a plain corridor of offices. The punk led her to a door marked "Owners: Please Knock and Wait".

"Her guide shrugged, his job here done, and he retreated back down the stairs.

"After a few moments, she heard a voice.

I keep telling you, Michaela, stocks for the next quarter…" she recognised the voice, a little deeper than last they met, and hoarser too.

"The door opened. A tired looking black man, with a shaved head and an unkempt beard, opened the door.

NINA?" Alfie Lewis yelped in surprise, going close to a falsetto. "How are you-"

"Nina didn't wait for an invite in. She was fed up of not knowing, and without thinking, she grabbed Alfie by the arms, pushed him back into his office, and pinned him against the wall.

"ALFRED MARMADUKE LEWIS, WHAT THE GODDAMN HELL IS GOING ON?!"

"Alfie held his hands up in surrender.

Please, what are you on about?!"

"Nina growled, and slammed her childhood friend against the wall. He smacked his head against the wall with a loud knock.

Ow! Nina, please! I know you're in there!"

Nina relaxed. Just a little. Alfie had never seen her like this, so of course he thought she'd be possessed, or something. Certainly wouldn't be the first time they hadn't witnessed something similar.

"She pulled him off the wall, and threw him into a nearby chair. She sighed loudly, leaning back against the wall and rubbing her face. Alfie held the back of his head, holding back tears and grunts of pain.

I'm sorry, Alfie. I'm just… I'm a mess, right now. I saw Mick and Amber yesterday, and they ran away from a bunch of cops, only to hop into a van full of creeps. And with everything else going on, I just…"

"The door opened again. Of course Jerome would be walking in right at this moment.

Alfredo, my boy, what's the-" He saw Nina, his goofy smiled dropped. He was a few inches taller, with a hint of crow's feet around his eyes and a dark and heavy stubble. His once magnificent poof of hair was now restricted back to a dark brown buzz cut. He also had a large, red, bumpy scar on his forehead.

Ms Martin. Hello" he said, breathily, accompanied by the usual head bob.

Amber and Mick are in. Still no word on the others."

The others?" Nina sighed.

"You've missed out on a lot of things, Chosen One." Jerome chuckled.

Tell me! What's happened to Sibuna?! What's happened to Fabian?" Nina wailed.

Oh, Rutter's fine. We're all seeing his band in concert in a few days. He's only supporting, but still."

What about Mick and Amber? Eddie? Patricia?"

Oh, so no complaints about Joy, Mara, KT and Willow, then?" Jerome asked, seemingly offended on their behalves.

Joy and Mara are involved, too? And who the hell are KT and Willow?"

"Jerome sighed. "This is gonna be a long one. Move over, Alfie!"

Sit in your own bloody chair. It's right there! "He pointed to a seat that was only just a few feet further away. "How many times, I am NOT your lapdog, prank-victim lab rat anymore! Treat me like the friend and business partner I am, I keep telling you."

Alright, alright."

I swear. You get one, one speaking role in a fantasy film that nobody cared about anyway, and suddenly you're Mister Hollywood!"

"Jerome rubbed the scar on his forehead. Nina guessed that, maybe, it was an injury he'd received during filmed?

Yeah, sure, lord it over to me about taking risks and failing miserable. What was that girl's name again? Alyssa? You should still be thanking me for bailing you out. You'd be an accessory to burglary and manslaughter if it weren't for me!"

Guys! Seriously!" Nina shouted. She hoped she could snap them out of it. She wasn't strong enough right now, emotionally or physically, to pull the life-long friends apart, were they to fight. So she hoped that yelling was enough. It seemed to be. Even though, at this rate, she was going to lose her voice, which wasn't going to go well for her speech later that week. She really needed to practice, but she really couldn't afford the time right now. Annoyingly.

"Everybody was quiet, calm for a few moments. It was certainly needed, and everyone was grateful for the peace.

Now." Nina began. "It's graduation. Some kid, one of Victor's rivals from the old days, is turned to stone. Something happens to Eddie, but he's okay. Everyone looks amazing for the graduation party. There's fireworks, popcorn, cocoa and lots of hugs." She leaned in. The boys slowly blinked, focusing on all those years ago.

What happened next?"

 _ **A/N: So I hope you're all enjoying what's happening so far. If you like the various references, you're in luck. If not, I'm sorry, it's a convenient and fun way to fill out everybody's backstories, I hope they're not taking away from the main story too much. I know the chapters are taking their time to be published, but please, bear with me. Also, please continue your reviews and follows, they are very much appreciated.**_


	4. Chapter 4: House of Health

House of Anubis: House of Homecoming.

Chapter Four: House of Health.

So Nina finally knew. The second she left Anubis house, every single damn thing, practically to the second, every Sibuna situation.

With hindsight, she thought, my God. The gossiping, the backstabbing, and the angst! Oh, the angst. No wonder Victor shouted at them all the time. They must have all been so unbearable.

She scratched her hand with the nail on her middle finger. It was a tic she had started to notice. Looking at her palm, it looked bright red, close to breaking skin.

She had no idea when it had started, whether it was since seeing Alfie and Jerome, or Amber and Nick, or further. But she was doing it nearly all the time, now. And she needed to do something about it.

However, the event was getting closer, and that was a problem. She probably should be running around, panicking, making sure everything was ready. But right now, all she could focus on was her hand.

Nina exhaled, slowly. Fix her hand first.

She'd found some health place, about 30 minutes train ride from the station near her hotel. Her experience with Gran, and with Sarah for that matter, meant she daren't trust a proper hospital. Besides, being American, she wasn't sure if she qualified for the free consultancy. But this place looked good.

The main foyer was calm. Evenly spaced sconces hung on the wall, spreading a warm light around the wide open space.

A raised, circular platform stood in the centre, strict lines of dark carpet drawing lines from it, to the front doors, and to the reception desk. On the dais itself, stood a large, majestic grand piano, where a smart looking woman played nice, calming tunes of jazz and classical music. Her auburn hair was tied back into a neat bun, and she had silver studs in each ear. She could see her bushy eyebrows, and a hint of makeup on, but little else to identify her. There was a little stand in front of her music sheet, holding a small pile of business cards. On the front, Nina could see something with the word 'Piper', but she didn't give it a second thought.

She gave her name to the man at the reception desk, and before she'd found herself a seat, a wild woman with bright strawberry-blonde hair and glasses approached her.

"Miss Martin! Hello!" she said in a slight nasally voice. "Very good to finally see you!" She was a few inches shorter than Nina was, and was unbearably enthusiastic, to the point of making a high-pitched "Squeee!" noise.

"Come in, come in, join me!" she began to take her by the hand, and Nina winced. "Oh, dearie, that does look a bit sore. Come on! let's get that sorted, immediately."

As the two passed, she noticed her whisper a few words to the pianist. The two exchanged glances, a thumbs-up, then an action that Nina instantly grew suspicious of. Discreetly, the two turned to each other, raising their right hand towards their faces, each covering their right eye.

It looked disturbing, almost cult-like, and Nina had to speak out.

"Excuse me, what on-" and just then, a searing pain, like a bullet, shot her straight into the forehead. Her legs collapsed from underneath her.

She felt light headed, and was close to vomiting. If that wasn't enough, she now started hallucinating. Surrounded by lights… no, it was flashes. Camera flashes. She was somewhere posh, prominent. She was with two others, a pretty, smiling blonde woman, and some tall, muscular man who looked like… Not like he didn't fit, but he certainly wasn't as well dressed at the woman.

Nina woke up, a ringing in her ears, and a horrendous smell in her nostrils. Not a chemical smell, but earthy and rotting. She looked around, realising she was on some sort of bed. Not for sleeping, but something medical. The two women approached, leaning over her. One was holding a piece of cloth, and kept folding and placing it upon her head. The other was holding onto a piece of metal…. a phone, perhaps. The two were discussion a 'mister fish' and asking if they were 'ready'…. No, not quite.

"Sister, Trish…"

"Eddie…"

Who was Trish? Who was Eddie? She could see clearer now, but the headache was getting worse. But her hand, her own right hand, the same hand the women had done their strange salute with, the same hand the woman with the glasses had nearly held before, was cool, and calm, and a little bit damp, like it had been freshly moisturised and pampered.

She just knew she had to get out. Now.

She pushed the women away, and leapt off the bed. The women flew across the floor, knocking over furniture.

Thundering through the door, she had no idea where she was going, but something in the back of her mind told her that the green signs above the door would give a clue.

After a mad rush, several minutes of barging past staff, she eventually made it back to the foyer she started with.

Then something hit her. That damn piano. Playing that horrid, disjointed excuse of a melody. She had to bring the world some peace. She had to destroy it.

With one hand, she easily lifted the front of the thing. She was about to just throw it, but then a group of workers appeared from the door behind her.

She grinned, and laughed hoarsely.

The two women barged through to the front. The woman whose glasses were now cracked and bent, and the other woman, who was nursing a large cut to her forehead.

"Nina, please!" One said. She didn't seem to care who.

"Something is seriously up with you! Just stop!" Said the other.

Nina decided, right there, she had a better use for the piano. She hurled it towards the group, and as it crash landed and exploded into shrapnel around them, she looked at their faces. An absolute picture.

Nina made it for the door, but then stopped.

"Nina! Oh, the stories I heard! The adventures you all had! It was magnificent! When I finally got the chance to change houses, stay in Anubis, the friendships I made, the things I learned, I became such a better person for it." she turned her head, slightly.

"Yeah!" the other voice said. "You're not just a friend, Nina. You're family. You gave me a family. My sister was so full of jealousy and anger, you gave her a shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold. And now my family is so much bigger for it. And I'm forever in your debt."

It was hard to tune out the nonsense they were saying. She was trying to focus.

A shape. The rectangle on the wall. A sign, brassy and embossed with something.

'Wind in the Willow: Health Spa and Retreat.'

But it wasn't what the sign said, it was irrelevant. But the face beyond it. Her face.

"Nina!"

Who was this Nina they were speaking of? Was it her? She couldn't remember.

"You gave me so much happiness!"

"And so much joy!"

A smile spread across her mouth. Willow and Piper watched, horrified.

"…Joy…" growled Nina, and she ran off.

The two women sighed. They looked broken, and disappointed in themselves. They'd betrayed two friends, now.

 _ **A/N: My apologies, this is a bit of a shorter chapter. Hopefully I can make it up by releasing future chapters sooner. If you're enjoying what's her so far, let me know!**_


	5. Chapter 5: House of Learning

House of Anubis: House of Homecoming.

Chapter Five: House of Learning.

 _ **A/N: I'm still here, don't worry. Apologies for the lack of updates, again, lots of IRL stuff.**_

Joy was carrying a couple of books against her chest. She approached a small trolley, which itself had been overloaded with books.

"KT?" she peered over, and a pretty black woman popped up, making Joy freak out for a millisecond. She had recently had cut and re-dyed her hair, so her white Mohawk looked wonderfully vibrant once again.

"Sorry," she said, in her cool American accent "you find anything good?"

Joy looked at the books she was holding, sighed, and handed them over.

"I had to pull a lot of strings to get these books. Hope it's worth it."

KT stepped back slightly, defensively.

"Hey, I'm just getting these for Peddie. Don't shoot the messenger."

"Huh. Still can't believe they named their agency after the silly couple name we gave them, all the way back at Anubis."

"I dunno, I think it's cute." The two of them walked back towards the door, and into the corridor that surrounded the main section of the library.

"Cute?"

"Yeah, it's Romantic. Like the old timey, optimistic type of Romantic."

"Not sure if that's what Romanticism was." She laughed. "I can find you a couple of Romantic poetry books if you want. I'm sure we've got some Lord Byron hanging around!"

"Oh, shush. I'm already taking like a hundred books back over the pond, don't give me anymore!"

The two entered the main section of the library, and instinctively lowered their voices. Joy had only been working there as an assistant for a few months, and had already been reprimanded a few times by patrons and colleagues.

Not that she minded. She loved working there, and she admitted she kept getting overexcited sometimes. Working in an age-old library, a university which had been in existence for centuries, it had amassed so much history and knowledge, and now she could be a part of that.

And of course, being an employee of such an establishment definitely gave her friends an excuse to visit. KT was there at the moment, but all of her friends from Anubis house had visited her over the weeks. Unfortunately for Joy, though, not everyone had come over purely for a social visit, or grab a book or two for work. Some were still doing their ridiculous Sibuna work, which, to them, was obviously super crucial and important. As for Joy, though, she already had her fill of being in secret clubs, her almost being a literal sacrificial lamb at one point. She was willing to help her friends from a distance, but that was it. That was the plan, of course, though she always ended up being pulled along.

It only took her a few moments for them to check out the books, so as she was getting close to her break, they decided to extend KT's visit by going to the canteen.

KT still marvelled at the choice of food. She was used to living exclusively on fries and takeaway pizza back in New York, so being able to dine on sandwiches, scones and endless cups of tea was so quaint and wonderful. The two managed to quickly order, as the usual lunch rush wouldn't start for another hour or so, and they made themselves comfortable on a pair of worn armchairs.

They spoke about work, with Joy's endless papercuts from all the daily filing and KT's sore feet from being Eddie and Patricia's lackey. Not that either of them didn't enjoy their own careers immensely, but they were both on the first steps, and both of them hoped to eventually further their careers.

Joy wanted to get away from simply being an office drone, and was trying to get more into the archival elements of it all, spending weeks at a time operating microfiche, locating and restoring old works of authors gone by, along with also doing outreach, organising school trips and panels with new and upcoming novelists.

KT admired her bookworm friend, but loved the investigatory side more. The dream of being a private investigator was, unsurprisingly, tricky, especially in a place like New York, where, like acting on Broadway, or making it big on Wall Street, it was the dream of many but the reality of few, so like the majority, it seemed, she would've be stuck being a waitress, or a taxi driver, if it weren't for the kindness of Eddie and Patricia. They'd managed to get a boost from his father, who, since his near-forced retirement, had desperately done everything he could to repent his actions in the past, and though he was able to also give Patricia a hand, there was only so much he could do for KT. Besides, detectives seemed to come in twos, the old funny-man-straight-man routine, which fitted Peddie weirdly perfectly. But it was fine, as KT could do it by herself. She was, in fact, they both were, strong and independent women, which gave Joy a laugh.

Then the conversation turned from Eddie and Patricia, to the rest of their former classmates.

They pitied Alfie and Jerome, just a little, as they knew the stress running a business, let alone running it together, was driving their friendship to breaking point. Alfie was still sore over his breakup with Willow, and after all the tragedies with his sister and father, Jerome had returned to the rude, near callous nature of his younger self.

They'd really gotten to know and love Piper, Patricia's twin, and her career, along with Willow work in the retreat, was going incredibly well.

Mick and Amber's careers were, too, though they admitted Amber was still too proud to fully let go of her airheaded nature, which was restricting her growth a little. As for Mick… well… Mick had his own stuff, all the Newcastle and Scotland business, his new family.

Then it came to Mara and Fabian. In hindsight, it made so much sense that the two undisputed genius… was it genii? Regardless, they'd come so far, and done so much as individuals, and together. It was wonderful, admirable.

Then the call came. It was Willow. KT answered it, standing up to attention.

Joy stared at her, waiting for some information, the nature of her calling. Not that they didn't all regularly call each other, but, bringing into account the time difference between there and New York, the only time they all spoke together was when none of them were at work.

That was the case normally.

Calling during work hours, England-wise, meant only one thing.

KT squinted, swapping her phone from ear to ear.

"What? What is it?"

KT sighed, begging Willow to calm down, and speak clearer. She couldn't hear her friend, over what sounded like police sirens.

Joy stared, confused. But after a few moments, Joy would know.

Her friend raised her right hand to her right eye.

Joy growled in frustration, reluctantly returning the salute.

KT's eyes widened. "What?!" she screamed, momentarily attracting the attention of a few of the other canteen visitors. She ran out, grabbing Joy roughly by the arm.

"Well, then, here we go again!" The tea was still warm, Joy realised. And they hadn't paid, again. This was all just one more step towards her being sacked.

KT was pulling her towards, oh no, the secret bunker!

During a previous 'adventure', for lack of a better term, they'd discovered a secret room underneath her workplace. To Joy, it seemed every building in the UK built more than a hundred years ago had some sort of secret, underground room. She'd been dragged along to dozens in the short, twenty-something years she'd had on this conspiracy filled world. Maybe being fired would be a good thing after all. Being a librarian was tremendously fun, but she'd quickly discovered that working at such a place meant she had painted a massive target on her back when it came to being involved in all of her friends' antics. Maybe her next career should be in coffee shop, or being in an office. Certainly, it should be in a building constructed in the last ten years, with no chance of hidden bunkers filled with mystical mysteries.

KT unlocked it. Unsurprisingly, Joy was the only person, alive, working at the university who actually had a key to the bunker.

The two shuffled in, and KT ran towards the desk. It was a geek's paradise, full of computers, monitors and weird electronic gizmos. KT wiggled the mouse, and stared at one of the screens. It was a map, showing GPS locations, around fifty in total. Most were dotted around England and the rest of the UK. Some were dotted around Europe, others in America, with a couple in Africa, Asia and Australia.

Joy had found it a little intrusive, when Eddie had suggested everybody being tagged, but ever since, it had been an endlessly necessary and useful resource. Not only did it show, at a glance, the location and a rough overview of the health and wellbeing of all twelve members of Sibuna, but it also showed the same for various other things. People they'd either worked with, or fought against, on various cases, but it also tagged inanimate objects, the Horus amulet, the cup of Ankh, the mask, the touchstone, amongst various other things since.

KT tapped the screen, and the map zoomed closer in. Two bright green dots showed their locations. There were three blue dots were around them, which were items of interest in the bunker, or ones still on the university, which they'd yet to permanently get a hold of. However, one extra dot, which seemed to be fluctuating between red and green, was making a beeline straight towards them.

Joy didn't recognise the ID code attached to this dot, so she surmised Willow must have managed to attach a tracker to whatever she'd had an encounter with.

And whatever it was, it was fast. And it being a cross between red and green meant it was both an element of unknown, but likely dangerous, origin, but it was also being identified as a human!

But surely Willow had just used the wrong tag, right? Nothing human could run that fast?

"Switch to the CCTV!" Joy shouted. Joy definitely supported the hacking of all the CCTV cameras of their workplaces. The cameras were there anyway, but this meant that if, god forbid, anything happened to anybody, it would all be caught on camera and stored on their own dedicated database. Sure, along with the tracking, it was probably highly illegal, but it had already been proven multiple times to be crucial to the saving of the world.

Though, they remembered, some of the feeds needed maintenance. Especially the ones from Alfie and Jerome's work, which had only gone down a day or two prior, but the upkeep of the Sibuna members' ones were a priority.

KT tapped a few icons on the keyboard. The large grid across from them lit up, showing alternating feeds from around the university.

And there it was.

There she was.

It was Nina Martin. Or what was left of her. She looked like Nina, certainly.

"She's here." Joy said. She tapped a few more keys, and screens filled with one shared, enlarged image of the single camera feed she appeared on.

"Wow, so that's Nina?! She's gorgeous!" KT commented.

Joy realised that KT and Nina had never actually met, as Nina had returned home before KT had arrived at Anubis house.

Joy was about to say something, but was distracted by the guards were now approaching Nina. Though they'd never been fully clued up on the various adventures a certain member of staff had been on throughout her life, some things had been made public, and as a result, security measures, especially at places such as Joy's university, had been upped significantly. Now they'd see first-hand if the measures were up to scratch.

Nina was saying something. They couldn't tell, as these cameras didn't have audio.

The head of security approached slowly. Replying to her demand, the women thought.

Nina twisted her head sharply, and extended her right arm out to her side. Her eyes began to glow immensely, as if they were on fire.

She snapped her eyes back to the group of security guards, and a van came soaring through the sky, landing on and crushing a couple of guards. They threw up their guns, and shot a range of bright stunning blasts. At first she managed to resist, but eventually she succumbed to the suppression, first kneeling, and then collapsing backwards.

The women sighed in relief, as the guards slowly approached and surrounded her.

But then Nina raised her head, looking directly at the camera and, it seemed, directly at Joy and KT.

Nina then grinned, sending a shiver down their spines.

A large ball of energy then exploded out of Nina, knocking out all of the guards, and instantly cutting the feed and sending a shower of sparks and smoke out from the monitors and computers.

Joy yelped in shock, and the two women held onto each in fright.

Eventually the smoke subsided and the sparks stopped, but the two women were still shaken.

Joy wiped a tear from her eye.

"Yeah, I guess we call Fabes, tell him Nina's not actually dead."


	6. Chapter 6: House of Flowers

House of Anubis: House of Homecoming.

Chapter Six: House of Flowers.

Nina awoke from her hotel bed. A streak of morning sun shone through a crack in the curtains, and hit her square in the eyes.

She had the biggest hangover! She held her forehead. What on earth had she got up to last night? Must have been a good one, she couldn't remember much.

She wandered over to the kettle, eventually managing to detach it from its base, fill it with water and power it on.

She remembered her school days, coffee in the mornings and tea in the afternoons, along with, of course, cocoa at the weekends and evenings.

The kettle rumbled. It had completed boiling its contents.

"Wow, that was quick." Back home, she'd forgotten how amazing electric kettles were, Americans having to resort to using a stove to heat water.

"They can't spell aluminum or color correctly, but the Brits really can heat water well."

She made herself a coffee. It was so warm and rich, if a little tangy. The little jar was probably several years out of days, but it was edible enough.

The event was tomorrow. She'd slowly managed to get everything ready, but she admitted she'd been distracted recently. Sure, most of it was seeing the sights and sounds of this wonderful little island, something she hoped to do as a student but never had the time or money, but part of her felt like it was her last chance to see it all, after this week.

Enough of that, she thought, time to get to work. She checked her list. Mercifully, she had coded it with various markers, in order of urgency. But the important thing was, most of the tasks were crossed off, completed and no longer needed worrying about.

But there was that one thing, bottom of the list, underlined and starred, with exclamations.

The floral display!

She shuffled to the door, checking her jacket pockets for her phone. She found it and unlocked it.

Several missed calls, unread emails, texts, instant messages, hours of voicemails.

But she didn't have time for any of them, or if she did, she wasn't in the mood.

She found the name of the florist. Eventually she picked up, introducing her name and the business.

"Yeah, I'm checking whether the order is prepared, ready for delivery or whatever, the extra-large display? Should be under the name Martin, Nin-"

"Nina! Of course, my darling! We just opened up a few minutes ago. Give it an hour and a half, and I'll be there ready to process your order."

"Sure, yeah." Nina was a little overwhelmed. The voice was far too cheery for this early in the morning. She recognised it, but couldn't place it. "I should be there in two."

They said their goodbyes, and she hung up. Nina still wasn't aware of the size and the logistics of London public transport, so she made sure to grab a public transport guide map on the way out. But she'd need to be showered, dressed and in the lobby first.

After a shower and a change of clothes, she made her way into the hotel lobby. She acknowledged a porter, a stuffy guy in a neat suit and hat. He flirted with her a little, as he had done every time she passed him. She didn't exactly rebuff him, but she bit her lip. There was something about him she didn't like.

She went outside. It was raining. She hugged herself against her jacket, but it didn't really help. British weather, she'd forgotten how bad it was, all the time.

Opening the map, she was hit with a bout of confusion. The subway, sorry, Underground, was a messy pile of rainbow spaghetti, with some of the lines having the most stupid, arbitrary names. The Overground map was just as bad, and the buses were even worse. Luckily a taxi stand was nearby. It would probably be a lot more expensive, but she figured just saying the florists' address would be enough.

There was no sign of any taxis, but she saw a little store advertising takeaway sandwiches. She'd not had her breakfast yet, so she grabbed a tuna mayo with a packet of chips… crisps. By the time she'd finished off her impromptu meal, a taxi passed her. She hailed it.

Her driver, this time a woman, barely said two words to her, until a news alert began on the radio.

Playing on About twenty minutes into the journey, a cutesy pop ballad began playing. The DJ announced the tune, as a sweet song a lost teenager romance. Apparently, the band would be performing in a local venue in a few days' time, in honour of their nomination of some prestigious award. The concert had sold out, but, as the DJ said, "If you've missed out on them, don't worry, we've got you covered…" as he began playing the song.

The song was so fun, and funky, and Nina quickly found herself dancing along, tapping her feet along to the rhythm in the taxi foot well.

And part of her recognised one of the singers, she was sure of it.

But before she could focus on anything specific, a traffic warning interrupted, talking about junctions and North bounds, Nina had no idea how British freeways, or motorways, worked. That wasn't the issue, though, as she was brought out of her focus.

"Hey, could you put that other station back on, please?" she begged, leaning over and practically changing the radio herself.

"No can do, sorry. If there's a traffic update, have to listen to it, company policy."

Nina growled, and sat back. When she could, she would have to find out more later on.

But not right now, as the driver told her they were only a few minutes away.

Though it wasn't her driver's fault, being pulled out of her stupor like that frustrated Nina immensely, to the point of nearly refusing to pay. She did, however, and exited the car.

She found herself in a little suburb, run down and nearly decrepit. If a store front wasn't filled with a nasty looking takeaway, or some obscure charity shop, it was abandoned, covered with obscene graffiti, and on sale at a fairly large discount. The whole place seemed to be suffering pretty badly, but when she found the florist's, it was well kept, out of place almost.

As she walked towards it, she kicked herself. It was situated next to a little side lane, and as she looked down it, she saw directions to a train station. It was likely that a train journey might have been quicker, and cheaper, if she'd only taken the time to check. However, she'd heard traces of that song, so it hadn't been a complete waste of time.

She stopped, inhaling and exhaling slowly. Enough complaining, sort out the flowers, she thought.

She entered, and was greeted by, she guessed, the son-in-law, a handsome young man, with a ridiculous fringe.

"Hello, there, how can I help?"

"Umm, yeah, I'm here to check on, confirm, an order for tomorrow."

"Sure, what name is it under?"

"Nina, hello!" She turned around. There she was, the former housemother of Anubis House, Trudy.

She wrapped her arms tightly around Nina, almost suffocating her. A younger blonde woman entered behind her.

"Everything okay?" the young woman asked.

"Oh, yes, sorry, back to work. You're here for the display? Straight through here! Come, come, come!" Trudy escorted her towards the back room of the shop.

"What was that about?" the young woman asked.

"I dunno, ." The man replied. Then his phone buzzed. "Come on, we better go…" he showed his phone to her.

"Right, sure!" she smiled, and the two ran outside, the door shutting loudly behind them.

Meanwhile, still inside the shop, Trudy showed Nina the finished work. It was a beautiful, big display.

"It's wonderful. Cooking, baking, and now flower arranging!"

"I try. After the school closed down, I tried to keep myself busy. Applied to be on a baking thing on the telly, never worked out, of course, but after Victor left, I did a lot more gardening, and never stopped."

"Is there anything you can't do, Trudy?" Nina beamed.

"It seems, keep a hand on the young people in my life." Trudy replied, peeking through the gap in the doorway.

"Who were those two?" Nina asked, timidly.

"Oh, just neighbours of mine. Their mum died a few years ago, and I just took them under my wing." They heard the door slam.

"Sounded like they were in a hurry, everything alright?"

Trudy sighed, and sat down.

"You kids. All of you, always going on your adventures, those stories and mysteries you all spoke about in hushed tones."

Nina blushed.

"Now I'm not gonna pretend for a second I knew about anything you were doing, of course." She winked. "But as long as you do your best, and take care about yourself and those you love."

Nina smiled, sadly. She'd missed Trudy's wisdom. She'd needed it so much since she'd left Anubis House. And it was needed now, more than ever.

"Speaking of those you love, have you seen any of them recently? I know…"

But Nina was lost. She'd fallen into the same haze of nostalgia she'd entered on the cab ride there.

The mornings she'd wake up, coming down to the dining room, being greeted by a fresh eyed Trudy, who had already, somehow, prepared a feast fit for kings. Friendships built and broken, mended and manipulated. And something would be amiss if, at least once a week, someone had food thrown at them, or a jug of drink poured over their head.

She missed those days.

The simplicity of it all.

Homework and hormones.

"…Nina? You okay?" Trudy woke her from her daze.

"Trudy? Sorry, what were you saying?"

"Sorry, love, you seemed a bit out of it? I know it's pretty stressful, planning a funeral like this. I didn't know your Gran that well, but when she stayed at Anubis House, she seemed a wonderful, caring woman."

"Yeah, she was…" Nina's headache from the morning was returning. It was a weird hangover.

"But I'm sure you'll have fun at the concert. You've definitely got a ticket, right? I'd go myself, but I'm sure you kids would be too embarrassed having an old lady like me around."

"A ticket?" Nina asked. She was starting to feel really ill, now.

"The concert, love? Fabian's band, celebrating their award nomination?"

" _Fabian…"_ the name echoed. But it wasn't Trudy saying it, not any more.

Her hand itched. She'd forgotten how intense the pain was. But also, strangely, how pleasurable. She was a masochist, under the spell of the voice, overwhelmed by its power.

She ran into the store, catching a reflection of her eyes in a mirror that hung on the wall. Her eyes were glowing magnificently, once again.

She ran outside, colliding with a passer-by.

"Watch it!" they shouted, gruffly. The pedestrian walked past, unscathed, but Nina had fallen over in the collision.

But forget about that. Forget about Trudy.

All that mattered was the name, and the person behind it.

It was time to fulfil one of the final steps of the mission.

Find Fabian!


	7. Chapter 7: House of Song

House of Anubis: House of Homecoming.

Chapter Seven: House of Song.

 _ **A/N: Apologies for the delay. I have written this chapter several times, but keep losing it. I've also been super busy with work and family stuff.**_

Nina had finally managed to infiltrate the venue, after what seemed like hours of ducking and hiding from security guards. She was tremendously lucky when one of the staff left a service door open whilst moving garbage around, but Nina pitied her a little. At the very least, she would be fired if, and when, Nina was caught, and at most, she'd be arrested for trespassing and being an accomplice to… whatever Nina was going to do next.

To make it worse, she soon found an abandoned set of overalls and a lost ID badge. First trespassing, now identity theft, she hoped she wouldn't be adding to the list.

She made her way to what felt like the main corridor, looking around. There were many different halls and stages here, so she nervously asked for directions.

"First day" she said, lowering her gaze. The middle aged foreman growled in frustration, waving half-heartedly in a direction and mumbling orders. Nina nodded politely, trying to hide her face as much as possible.

After a maze of corridors and technical side rooms, she eventually found a large, important looking double door, and she stepped through it.

The venue was as she expected. A large empty space for the crowds, which still had a few chairs dotted around from what she'd learnt was a conference from the previous day.

Various workers were pushing around trollies with boxes of equipment stacked high, getting ready for the big show that evening.

Microphone feedback squealed out from a nearby speaker, and Nina winced in pain.

Then the music began. It was a last minute rehearsal.

" _ **Tell me I've been dreamt of ways**_

 _ **To keep me in the picture, while you're making changes**_

 _ **I won't hold you back**_ **"**

Then she saw him! He still had that goofy smile, those magical fingers, that beautiful voice!

" _ **I tell you from my point of view**_

 _ **Cause I ain't thinking of nobody else but you**_

 _ **And I won't hold you back**_ **"**

My god, Nina thought to herself. She'd forgotten how talented he was!

" _ **I've been turning all night long**_

 _ **I'm wondering if I have the strength to carry on**_

 _ **And I should hold you back**_ **"**

Then it hit her. He was singing about her! Or at least, he might have been.

" _ **Stop telling me to back down**_

 _ **Don't you wanna hear and say what's playing on my mind**_

 _ **And don't you know it's hard"**_

Yes. He was speaking about her.

" _ **Stuck in the middle**_

 _ **I can see your face a thousand ways**_

 _ **But I still want you back**_ **"**

She felt ill. Her cheeks were wet from tears.

She ran out, trying to keep her cool, but utterly failing. She knocked into a heavy box of cables, and several heads turned to her. But she couldn't tell if any of them were his. And even if it was possible to tell, for them to see each other when she was like this, she thought to herself…

" _ **You don't want to, anyway"**_

She heard him sing as she went back into the corridor. She tried as much as she could, but it was hard to block out the music.

She was so grateful when she saw a restroom. She ran in, hoping nobody would be able to see the mess she was in.

She retched.

It was a stupid idea to come here! She stared at herself in the mirror, slapping herself then splashing cold water onto her face. She spluttered when she got a few droplets up her nostrils, but frankly, she deserved the pain.

 _The pain._

She needed to fight more. She understood Winkler's plan. She knew it was the righteous thing to do. But it hurt her, doing it to her friends. And it was physically painful too.

After a few moments of calm, and also using the restroom, which she realised she hadn't done in almost a week, which was likely a side effect of Winkler's process, and was certainly unhealthy, she stepped back outside.

Then she saw, of all people, Mara Jaffray!

Nina ducked behind a pile of crates, before she had a chance to be seen by her.

She was much taller, but that might have just been the heels. She also wore her hair different, with bangs and dyed pink tips. She also had a modest amount of makeup on, which really brought out her already pleasing features.

Nina wasn't pleased, though, when she surprised Fabian with a hug from behind, and a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh, stop it, you!"

Oh, they're being cute.

"How's the rehearsing going?" She held his hands in the most saccharine way.

"Yeah, good! Stressful, obviously. It being the big show before the awards, but good news, Andy confirmed he's able to help us work on the debut video next week."

"The same Andy who helped us with _Fizzy Lettuce"_?

"Well, he did such a good job with you. Still saying no to going back to them?"

"Yeah, I think my time under the spotlight is over, the girls are having doing well without me. For now, I'm good with reporting on more talented people, and being married to them."

"Surely, though, your reviews must be biased?"

The two laughed.

"So it's not a case that your retirement wasn't because your _magic got_ _ **lost for dessert**_?"

"Shush, you!" she playfully shoved him.

"' _ **Coz it's so tragic**_ _!_ " he laughed.

"… _ **we're almost the worst**_." Mara reluctantly sung along. "You're _definitely_ the worst!"

The two embraced, then Fabian noticed something behind Mara.

"Nina? Is that you?" Fabian asked.

Nina gasped. He knew she was there, after all!

"Nina? I can see you!"

Her legs were shaking.

Her head was faint.

She couldn't move.

She couldn't even _speak_.

"Nina!" he shouted.

He sounded so excited to see her.

"There you are!"

Then a small child, no younger than six, ran into his arms.

Nina was confused.

"Daddy!" the young girl cheered. "Happy music day!"

Nina was no longer confused.

Mara chuckled. Fabian ruffled her hair.

So, thought Nina, Fabian's a father now? I guess he forgot all about me after all.

Nina stood up, resigned to her fate. The last part of Winkler's plan could never come to pass.

Then she hit her head on a low shelf.

A shelf which was full of heavy, expensive equipment.

A pile of lightbulbs, cables and speakers crashed to the floor, spooking the three of them into looking directly at her.

"Nina?!" Mara screamed.

"I'm okay, Mummy!" The girl reassured her mother.

Fabian smiled that dorky smile again. But Nina was too mortified and in pain to care.

"Who is that, Daddy?"

Mara delicately placed her hands over the young girl's ears.

"We thought you were dead, Nina."

Not again, Nina thought!

"Why does everyone think I'm supposed to be-"

Then the pain came back, full strength once again.

Her eyes began to glow.

The two stared in shock and amazement, trying to shield their child, and each other, from Nina's energy.

Her hand burned. Her whole arm became reddened and veiny.

She raised her hand to her eye.

" _Sibuna_ " she growled, equal parts demonically and sarcastically, once again a puppet of Winkler.

Then before the three could respond, Nina dived out of the building.

"That woman was strange." The kid said, matter-of-factly.

"But why were you calling _her_ Nina? That's my name!"

 _ **A/N: So a funny coincidence: Both Tasie and Brad both have had music careers during and after HoA. Tasie being in a band called "Woowoos", which released two singles before she left and the band changed its name, whilst Brad is in a group called "FLYNT", which, since being formed last year, has released five songs, the most recent being "Honey" which came out earlier in July.**_

 _ **The coincidences continue with the fact that the Woowoos' official musical for one of their songs, "Fizzy Lettuce", was directed and produced by a man named Andrew**_ **RUTTER** _ **! When I began writing this story, I thought that incorporating the actor's filmographies into their new backstories, such as Eugene's role in Game of Thrones, or Alexandra's casting as Storm in the new X-Men films, would be fun Easter eggs for those who are familiar with the shows and films referenced. But a coincidence like that I never foresaw, and I'm very grateful.**_

 _ **Once again, my apologies for the delay. I hope it hasn't extinguished your interest in the story, which I hope to be able to dedicate more time and energy into in the future.**_

 _ **Please, don't forget to rate, review, and if you like, favourite.**_


	8. Chapter 8: House of Nightmares

House of Anubis: House of Homecoming.

Chapter Eight: House of Nightmares.

 _ **A/N: Happy Hallowe'en!**_

She was in the backseat of the car. She watched as her mom's shiny purple necklace swinging and shining against the passing streetlights. She watched as her father kept smacking the steering wheel in frustration. They were arguing, but she couldn't tell what about. They both kept glancing behind them, flashing smiles at their young daughter. Why was that? They were upset, but she wasn't. Nevertheless, she smiled back, which seemed to give both moments of serenity between the yelling.

BUMP.

The car jolted. The girl thought that they were just going onto a speed hump, or a pothole. There were plenty of both on the roads in Cleveland, the city where she lived. It was a bit odd, as normally they would be going to or from her school when she was jostled around like that. But again, she didn't think twice.

BUMP.

Yes, the girl thought, it was very strange that there were bumpy bits on the freeway home. But then today had been very strange anyway, with Mommy and Daddy going to California to visit a work friend she'd never met before. But California was very pretty, and she had lots of fun going on all the rides at the Santa Monica pier.

BUMP.

She stretched her back, sitting up as much as she could in her booster seat. The blur of lights zooming past looked so beautiful and magical to her child.

BUMP.

The blur changed. The cars were no longer zipping across her vision, right to left, going East, but they were spinning all around her. Her Mommy's necklace flew through the air and landed in the girl's lap. She took it in her hand, but as she went to pass it back, she noticed them.

Mommy and Daddy weren't arguing any more. They were lying down, with their heads leaning forward, cuddled up to big white pillows that had suddenly appeared under them, their faces and heads covered in strawberry jam.

Which was odd, because Mommy said they'd ran out of strawberry jam, and they would all need to go to the store tomorrow to buy some more.

It was getting very foggy now, but only from the front of the car.

She saw a strange looking man come through the clouds. He was laughing. He reached in, and took her Mommy's locket!

A few moments later, another man approached. This man wasn't laughing. He pulled her out, and wrapped her up in an ugly grey blanket whilst dabbing a wet napkin on her head.

The man asked her if she knew the name of her Mommy or Daddy. She replied that she called them "Mommy" or "Daddy", but that everyone else called them "Mister and Missus Martin."

When he asked for her name, she smiled, and took out her hand to shake his.

"My name is Nina. It's very nice to meet you." Just like her parents had taught her.

She looked at the hand, then looked back at the man.

He looked very different to the paramedic who had attended to her injuries a second before. He was now an elderly priest, dressed in majestic robes. Nina smiled, and retrieved her hand, opening it.

Inside her palm was a gorgeous oak medallion.

She looked inside. On the left face, a beautiful picture of her Mom and Dad, holding a baby, Nina's younger self; on the right, the Virgin Mary. She closed the locket and gently caressed the beautiful sapphire gem that sat in the center of an intricately detailed oak façade.

It perfectly matched with the tiara she wore on her head, and the dazzling dress she wore.

She turned to the crowd of onlookers. Her doting Gran took the Rosary and clasped it around her neck.

Nina left her bouquet at the altar, and then left the church, followed by dozens of guests.

The reception was a wonderful affair, full of delicious food, wonderful music and lots of happy tears.

But in a small moment with her Gran, she wept sad tears. They both wished that her parents were there.

As much as she appreciated all the effort, and the dress and the jewellery, she had always preferred a smaller ceremony, nothing big and excessive and _naca_ , but her extended family kept pushing and pushing, she had eventually given in. She at least managed to skip out on having a dance with a _chambelán de honor_ , but what she really wished for, and could never get again, was her parents to be there.

Damn that car crash. Damn that stupid meeting in California.

She held onto her Gran, but she was no longer in Mexico. She was back at home, back in Ohio.

In the time since her birthday, she'd been helping her gran with household chores, splitting time between the local Goodwill and a nearby library. But summer was nearly over.

On Nina's behalf, her Gran had applied for a placement for Nina to start at a new school in England, at the start of the next semester. Nina was apprehensive, almost scared, at first, but when she learned that her Gran had attended the same school in her youth, it put her at ease.

And when the scholarship came through, it sealed the deal.

Of course, she had a great start when she was stopped at customs. She'd been accused of smuggling something inappropriate, but with a check of her bags, she maintained her innocence.

But with that checking, she was sure she'd had her Quinceañera necklace stolen from her by one of the guards.

Though, unfortunately, she'd never been able to prove it.

Nina woke up, soaked in sweat and tears. It had been many, many years since she'd had dreams like that, and she felt mad at herself. She used to dream about her family every night, but the day she left Anubis House, that all stopped. From that point on, it had all been about Fabian, Sibuna, Victor and the cup and the mask. It had been a dishonour to all she'd had, and all she'd lost. And her guilt was just as painful as the loss.

But something was off about her dream. It took her a while to remember, but then it hit her.

Her mom's necklace! The Rosary! Aside from the gems being different colours, and the wood having different patterns, had they been other Eye of Horus amulets? All this time?

No, they couldn't have been! Wouldn't have been! She would have remembered seeing something similar when Sarah gave her the amulet! Surely!

Had she simply forgotten? If it was true, how could she forget?

But if it was a lie, why would she dream of something like that? Was something messing with her memories?

"No…" she whimpered. "No" to the nightmares, the memories, the amulet, "no" to everything!

"Yes.." Jack was sat on the end of the bed. He took Nina's hand in his. She struggled for a moment, but then resigned herself to fate.

He kissed her hand, which began to glow once again. Nina's eyes went glassy, but she continued to weep.

"I'll love you, tomorrow. You're only a day away…" he quietly sang to her.

 _ **A/N: Complete coincidence that this chapter was released today, but as with all of the coincidences I've run across in the writing of this fanfic, I'm very glad it happened.**_

 _ **Incidentally, if you're still in a spooky mood, and if you haven't already seen it, consider watching "The Damned", also known as "Gallows Hill", a 2013 film starring, amongst others, Nathalia Ramos herself. Though not the best horror film I've ever seen, is a tremendous fun watch, and Nathalia is the absolute star of the show, and I highly recommend it for any HoA fan, though being a horror film, it is very graphic in places. I had originally planned for this chapter to be very similar to the plot of the film, but I rightfully decided against that early on.**_

 _ **Thank you for reading!**_


	9. Chapter 9: House of Investigations

House of Anubis: House of Homecoming.

Chapter Nine: House of Investigations.

"I'll love you, tomorrow. You're always a day away…"

"Weird, always thought she said ' _only_ ' a day away, not ' _always_ ', still a cute song though." She said quietly to herself.

Patricia hadn't been able to sleep. She hated flying. The humming of the jet engines was a constant scream in her ear, like her nieces, but with an endless lung capacity.

So, in order to distract herself, she was overwhelming her senses. _Annie_ was the in-flight movie, which she was watching on repeat, muted with subtitles in order to not wake any of her fellow passengers. She also had headphones plugged into an old iPod, as well as the flight plan, a second-hand novel and old bits of paperwork in front of her.

She had read somewhere that staying awake for longer helped with that illness, whatever it was called, that people got when flying east to west. She wracked her brain, even smacked her forehead a few times, to try and remember the word, the phrase, for it.

Her forehead hurt now, but she was sure she'd remember it, eventually.

There was one thing she did remember, though. She hadn't peed since she'd arrived at JFK airport, and the nerves of her flight had meant she'd had several drinks, not all of them alcohol-free.

She paused the playlist, shoved a folded up piece of admin into her book as a makeshift bookmark, and then quietly made her way to the bathroom.

She missed business class. More space, way fewer people, just as she liked it. As much as she loved America, there were parts of it that she was still angry about to this day. The noise, the pollution, the bad food, and those were just what was wrong with the little district of Manhattan they lived in. It was a strange place, a strange country, but it was her home, now, all because of that adorable, spiky haired arsehole that slumbered peacefully next to her.

Still though, she wished that they could've had a little more time to prepare. But mister gung-ho had to get the first ticket on the first plane back to Blighty that he could, even if that meant having to put up with economy seating.

She was still utterly confused on what was going on over there. Apparently a certain girl was back from the dead. A certain woman, really, though she had always stayed the same, ageless, young, and sweet, but naïve, kid she'd known in her student days.

Of course, she couldn't be back! They'd all been to the funeral, they'd all said their goodbyes, and she was adamant someone was being stupid and messing about with them.

But of course, the nosy prat of a partner she had, he'd always felt a little, or an absolutely massive, pang of guilt over the whole thing. Sure, there had been all the stuff about her Gran, which was heart-breaking of course, but ever the hero, he'd always tried to make up for it, always repaying an infinitely large debt. And even after they'd all recovered from the guilt, even after the boys had been the best man at each other's weddings, and even after her name had been handed down to that precious baby, her Sweet had always strived to make the world a better place, in her honour.

If it was true, if she were still alive, it would've been great to see her old friend again, but it meant that everyone's lives would be thrown into chaos. And if it wasn't true, it would mean starting the whole mourning and grieving process all over again, years of healing down the toilet.

Speaking of toilets…

My God, she thought to herself. It was so much a metaphor for her new home in the States, the little cubicle being all cramped and smelly, despite all the apparent space and technological advances around her.

She did her business. Oh, how she missed the quilted four-ply of her apartment, one of the few material luxuries she had.

She eventually managed to squeeze her way back to her seat. She passed a baby, now fast asleep, which she was so grateful for, the noise that little beast had made for the first few hours of the trip. She thought it would never end. She stopped for a moment, looking at it cradled in the arms of one of her fathers. She guessed it could be considered cute, at rare, special moments.

No, she snapped herself out of it. She had enough of babies. Baby Nina was one thing, Piper's twins and Eddie's half-sister being pregnant was another. She could never have kids herself, what with the pressure, the noise, the smell, the… domesticity.

And the doubt.

Plus, everything that had gone on with Jerome's sister Poppy, she certainly couldn't go something like that. Jerome had been a shell of his former self ever since. And if that ever ended up happening to her… she couldn't bare it, and she'd never forgive herself for making Eddie go through it either.

Speaking of, she found him stirring when she returned to their seats.

"Yacker...?" He stifled a yawn and stretched, careful not to wake the middle-aged woman in the aisle seat next to him.

"You snore. Loudly." She complained, only half-serious. He was actually quite cute when he slept.

"And you're using vital papers from the Holden Matthews case as a bookmarks!" he hissed, looking over at her empty seat.

"It's fine. You know we've still got secure, digital backups at home." She shuffled back into her seat.

"Still though, it's unprofessional." Eddie retorted.

Mildly annoyed, and because she was in the perfectly space, she bent forwards, her rear going right into Eddie's face.

He spanked her.

"Oi! Randy hands!" she almost screamed aloud, but caught herself. She sat down and grabbed his arms. "Now who's being unprofessional?!"

She couldn't help but giggle.

"Hey, you stick that in my face, I'm gonna have to react somehow." He winked.

Patricia was bright red now. "Are we ever gonna travel on an aeroplane without-"

"Re-joining the Mile High Club every time?" He looked deep into her eyes. "You love it."

She just had to kiss him when she did that look. She was wrapped around his finger, and she melted every time he made that face. And the worst thing was that he knew that fact all too well, and it made arguing very irritating sometimes.

Well, irritating was one word for it.

"Screw it." She thought, and she climbed on top of him. As cramped as the seating was, they were lucky this plane was equipped with retractable arm rests, basically making the seats twice, or even three times, the width, if needed. It was very awkward, but convenient for obese passengers who could purchase extra seats. But if a couple, like dear sweet Peddie, got a little excited, it was very comfortable.

His warm, soft lips felt amazing on her chest. She clawed and massaged his scalp, with every tug of hair, his mouth shivered and nibbled in reaction. His arms reached up and tickled the clasp of her bra…

Her hands were just about to start undoing the fastening on his jeans…

Eddie growled. Patricia knew he was passionate, for both work _and_ play, but he'd never made a noise like _that_.

She looked at him, and realised.

It wasn't a happy growl.

"Eddie!" she looked around, sure that the noise would have woken up at least a few people. It hadn't, fortunately.

"Eddie, what is it?" she was panicking now. He was writhing, too pained to speak.

She shook him by his shoulders, and patted his chest in some vain attempt to…

His chest, she thought to herself.

She ripped open his shirt. A few seconds ago, she realised, she would have been doing the same thing, but under very different pretences.

But her fear was right.

The amulet! Damn, stupid thing.

Ever since the Touchstone incident, it had basically laid dormant. Everyone had thought that because he was no longer the Osirian, that the amulet has lost its abilities along with it.

Ever since, he'd held onto it, even though he'd wanted and hoped that Fabian would take it, but Fabian saw it too much as a reminder of Nina, and that it was better, for Fabian's own mental well-being, if nothing else, if Eddie was the one to keep hold of it.

He'd worn it almost every day since, only taking it off during their wedding days, as he begged Fabian to take it back. Now that she thought about it, maybe it had been plaguing Eddie's mind as much as it had Fabian's. Beyond those days, it had never left his chest, and the only time Patricia really noticed it was when she instinctively grabbed onto it when the two were having… their fun.

But now, after so long, it was… for lack of a better word, reactivating. And it was taking Eddie's life force in order to recharge itself.

Or some mystical rubbish like that.

"Eddie?!" she tried to tear the amulet off him, but it was stuck to his flesh. A protrusion permanently fused to him.

Her eyes were teary now. He was nearly at the point of foaming at the mouth and having a seizure.

Eventually, she managed to pry the thing off him. Didn't stop the spasms, but at least it was less awkward when she asked for help from the stewards and stewardesses, the pilots and the airport staff.

They were tremendously fortunate that there was a local GP office in the airport down in London, and even more so when they found he wasn't suffering from anything long-term. Patricia managed to convince the doctor that it was just a delayed allergic reaction, and that she'd be suing the airline. She wouldn't, it obviously wasn't their fault, but it was good to have an outburst every so often.

Of course, Eddie had no memory of the attack. And Patricia made sure to keep hold of the amulet, despite Eddie's protests.

He had saved her life many times over, and she'd done the same for him. They'd kept track when they were teenagers, it was a fun game to play, but nowadays they'd lost count, and honestly didn't matter.

Only thing that did matter, right now, was getting to the truth.

Nina Martin. Was she alive?

If so, who had concocted such a complex scheme, a long game, to fool Sibuna for all this time?

And if not, what kind of person, of people, would want them all to think her dead, and why? How?

One of those people, Patricia would never find out, was the kindly, apparently oblivious lady who had sat next to Eddie on the flight. She'd offered boiled sweets to them both, to help with the ear-popping.

She had appeared kind, if not a little on the brink of Alzheimer's.

But that was all an act.

Watching the pair of them board the flight, worry and console each other about their friends, Patricia pouring over old case files as she thought the old lady slept, but carefully sifting through when Patricia had gone. She had kept her eyes upon them, discreetly, all this time, and now it was time.

She called up her boss.

"Master Winkler, my Lord. The Osirian and his consort have arrived. The Dozen will soon be together, at last."

She smiled inhumanly.

"Prepare the girl."

She watched the couple as they walk, arm-in-arm, to the exit.

"JET LAG!" she heard her shout, suddenly.

 _ **A/N: On the home stretch now. Feels like so long ago that I started writing this, very eager to start exploring other genres and universes once I finish up this story, which should be done by Christmas.**_


	10. Chapter 10: House of Worship

House of Anubis: House of Homecoming.

Chapter Ten: House of Worship.

So far, her Gran's service had been beautiful, if a little underwhelming.

The pews were barely a quarter full, mostly Gran's doctors and nurses, a few neighbours and fellow churchgoers. She had hoped the old gal had left a bit more of a legacy, but she guessed this was it.

The elderly vicar had reeled off a standard eulogy, mostly filled with semi-obscure Bible passages, most of which she'd barely remembered herself.

It didn't help that she was practically zoned out, but the mention of her own name did end up bringing her back to reality.

She'd done so much for her, even before her parents' deaths. For herself, for the community she'd built here, and in America. Such a loving, admirable, dedicated woman.

Man, she thought, her eulogy was going to be crap.

Nevertheless, she stood up, unfolding a piece of paper from her jacket pocket, and walked towards the pulpit.

She looked at what she little she had. Most of it was crossed out, typed, annotated and scribbled out a thousand times.

Nothing would have been able to do it justice. Do _her_ justice.

She looked at the closed casket, laying a hand on a corner.

"Love you."

Her eyes passed the floral display, a beautiful layout of white poppies, spelling out 'EVELYN'.

Pretty, she thought to herself, grateful to whoever had sent them. Probably the church, standard part of the burial service, she thought.

She climbed the few steps towards the podium. She tapped the microphone. It squealed with feedback.

She cleared her throat. Once, then twice.

Her hands were shaking now. She had a slight itch in one of her palms.

"WEIRD."

It was only meant to be a whisper, a murmur, to herself, but she'd accidentally said it into the microphone.

She was bursting with anxiety and dripping with sweat.

"Evelyn Meridian Martin: My Gran." She began.

She looked up from the paper. The few people that were remaining were either in quiet contemplation, recalling their own memories of the woman, or were just praying.

Praying the stupid girl would finish soon and shut up, she imagined.

But one person had stood out.

A middle aged woman she didn't recognise. She had nice smile, watching her and listening intently, with one hand beside her on an old Bible, the other was dipping in and out of a paper bag she had on her lap.

The woman was eating, surprisingly quickly, a bag of boiled sweets. Right now, she'd kill for one of them. She resorted to discreetly licking her lip.

"Go on." The woman whispered. She was quite far away, but she could hear her as clearly as if she was less than an inch from her ear.

The woman dove into the bag again. She popped another sweet into her mouth.

Was she swallowing them… whole? Surely she would choke, especially when she ate them that quickly.

Her hand was really hurting now.

"I'm sorry." She'd lost count of how many times she'd run into a bathroom.

Well, this time wasn't one of them, as she tripped herself over on the way.

She woke up in a daze. The woman was there, mopping her brow. The tissue looked a little bloodied.

"Hope you're okay, dear. You tripped over. These old churches, eh? They're beautiful, but the floors are terribly uneven." She smiled, the brim of the paper bag peeking out from a small handbag.

"Yeah, I… I guess."

Her eyes drifted to the floor behind the woman. It was perfectly flat, covered in newly steamed linoleum. Maybe there was a kink somewhere she couldn't see. She was too dazed to really think about it.

"Do you think you can stand up? Probably not a good idea to be hogging the space in a narrow corridor like this, don't want more incidents, eh?"

She offered a hand. Nina took it.

They walked, rather slowly, towards what Nina realised was a kitchen. It was locked, but the woman had a key, so Nina guessed she worked there.

"There are lots of sharp objects in here. We don't want the kiddies to hurt themselves, do we?" the woman smiled sweetly.

"Uh, no..." Nina was still dazed.

The two stepped inside. She slid out a folding chair from a cubby hole, and Nina sat down. The woman proceeded to get an intricately detailed Rockingham teapot out from a cupboard, and made the pair of them tea.

"A drop or two of milk, and I'll naughty and pinch one of the vicar's sugar cubes for you." The woman chuckled. "I'd take one myself, but I'm diabetic."

She took the two saucers in her hands, offered one to Nina, then perched herself on the edge of a counter.

"Besides, as he keeps telling me, I'm 'sweet enough'! Oh, if he were only ten years younger! Or twenty." The woman chuckled again.

Nina tried to smile.

"Drink up, love. You'll feel better soon."

Nina sipped. It was warm, and sweet, but it was a little bitty, as her teeth were grinding on the undissolved molecules of sugar. At least, she hoped it was the sugar.

"So, dear, what brings you to our pokey little house of worship?"

Nina thought for a while. She was starting to enjoy the tea, so slowly swallowed and tried to remember.

"It's okay if you can't remember. It was quite a bump to the head you had."

Before she realised, she had finished her cup without saying a word. She stared into the cloudy dregs.

"Don't worry. You'll remember eventually."

Out of the corner of her eyes, she watched the woman stand up.

"Would you like another cup?"

"I'm… I'm good. Thank you, though." Dazed as she was, she'd never forget her manners.

The woman took Nina's cup, stacked it on top of hers, and placed them by the sink.

"Come on, let's get you back."

The woman offered her arm, and the two walked back to the nave.

One of the clergy, a young man with neatly brushed chestnut hair and a proud collar, stood at the pulpit, his arms reaching out expressively.

The dim, candlelit pews were filled, dozens of men and women, all wearing hooded robes, bowing and chanting guttural tones. It was beautiful, and a little hypnotic.

The woman walked her into the centre of the aisle, a few steps behind the last row of pews. The woman held her hands and looked at her intensely.

"Now, sweetheart, this is very important…" Nina barely registered her. She was enchanted by the priest, her hear beating in sync with the dulcet moans of the congregation.

"Dar-darling!" she held Nina's cheeks, and forcefully turned her head to face her.

"Look at me, concentrate!"

Nina's eyes were beginning to water. The woman had a surprisingly long grip for her age.

"Tell me your name, child! Tell me!"

The chanting was getting louder and louder. It was hard to focus.

"SPEAK YOUR NAME!" The woman's voice was a low snarl now, her nostrils and irises flaring, her hair being whipped around by some unseen force. Nina's cheeks were sore from the woman's nails digging in, and could feel the blood from her forehead drip past her nose and mix with her tears.

"Nina… Nina Martin." She choked.

As if she had just spoken a magical phrase, Nina began to hover several feet in the air.

Everyone fell silent, standing up in unison. The woman, however, fell to her knees and clasped her hands in prayer.

Nina's right hand sprang into place in front of her right eye.

Once again in unison, every member of the congregation did the same.

"Master Winkler. Did I do well?" The woman strained, craning her neck towards her Lord.

The man himself, by this point, had stepped down from the pulpit and was stood in chancel, in the centre of a sigil covered in mysterious symbols, some Greek and Latin, others Cyrillic and Aramaic, all important and delicately scribed and carved centuries ago, but able to be hidden away at a moment's notice.

"Finally, after all this years, the Chosen One is mine!"

"Yes, my Lord! Yes! Rejoice in your victory!" the woman hollered.

"Oh, do shut up, you stupid cow!"

Jack raised a hand towards the woman, and quickly twisted his wrist. The woman's eyes rolled into the back of her head, and her neck twisted violently with a crunch, draining the life from her in an instant.

"Come to me now, Nina! Fulfil our destinies! Complete what our weak and pitiful families failed to achieve!"

"Si…" Nina mumbled, as her eyes began to glow once again.


	11. Chapter 11: House of Legacy

House of Anubis: House of Homecoming.

Chapter Eleven: House of Legacy.

 _ **A/N: Reader discretion, this chapter extreme violence.**_

"Sibuna." Said a deep, croaky voice.

BANG.

Nina dropped to the floor, straight onto her ankles, collapsing into an unconscious heap.

Jack walked slowly down the steps away from the apse, sweating profusely. He clutched his chest, where a wound dribbled a heavy red liquid.

The hooded figures all lowered their heads, some falling into the bible racks in front of them, others collapsing into the laps of their neighbours. His undead army was once again lifeless, their bodies at peace.

"How…?" He was confused; sure his plan was all but complete, impossible to stop at this point.

But he'd been wrong.

Reaching the bottom of the stair, he fell to his knees. Eager, desperate, to carry on, he began to crawl and shuffle like a toddler, the blood on his hands marking the varnished wooden floor, a thick pour dripping from the hole just above his heart.

He reached up to the perpetrator, grasping helplessly at the mechanism surrounding the wheels on the chair.

The gunman tugged at the joystick, reversing and causing Jack to nearly crack his face on the floor.

The man in the wheelchair coughed, momentarily replacing the oxygen mask on his face.

A few deep, rasping breaths, then he removed it.

"It's done. He's… it's done."

The old man moving his tremoring hand over his wrinkled cheek and mouth, then ran his fingers through his thin, grey hair.

He sighed.

Rolling his eyes, he saluted, placing his left eye over his left hand, then, realising his error, he changed it to his right. He only for a second, but it was still absolutely mortifying for him.

"Never make me do that again."

A few of them kneeled around Nina's unconscious body, checking her over.

"Come on, Victor, it's not like that's the first person you've shot, is it?" Joy said, stony faced. KT surmised a sprained ankle, from the fall, whilst Willow believed she had a broken arm, possibly from hitting one of the stone columns on the way down.

"You know damn well I've never ended a life before." He threw the gun onto the floor.

"Besides, I was talking about your stupid sal- never mind."

Mick picked it up, with a look of curiosity and amazement. Eddie snatched it off him, swiftly emptied the cartridge, and shoved it into the back of his jeans.

Patricia approached Jack's body, holding a wrist to check his pulse. It was slow, irregular.

"Ah, Miss Williamson…" Jack coughed.

Suddenly he sprang back into life, grabbing her by the throat.

His eyes stared into hers, wispy black smoke and tendrils reaching out into the air. He could see an inside pocket with the chain of the locket dangling out from it, so he snatched it out with his spare hand.

"LET GO OF MY SI-!" Piper shouted, before she and the rest of the onlookers were hit with a wave of energy which froze them in place.

"Or rather, should I say Mrs Miller? You're no longer the naïve, _virgin_ girl my father had _such_ a close rapport with."

"Fascinating," he mused, stroking the gem on the front of the locket. "I've seen many of these, encrusted with pearls, amethysts and emeralds, but I've never seen one with a ruby centre."

He tapped it with his fingers. It fell off, revealing a wonky and slightly dusty LED behind it.

"Oh. Just a cheap replacement," he dismissed. "I can't say I'm surprised."

With one hand, he deftly opened it, revealing a very old and tattered picture inside.

"Sarah Frobisher-Smythe, the prodigal daughter of the family who started it all." He clawed it out with a fingernail, and it dropped to the floor like a feather. "You're not worthy of having your image in there."

"A…and you are?" he looked up. Her eyes were bloodshot, her face purple.

"This world is so _chaotic_. Everybody rushing around, busy with their own lives, never _once_ stopping to think of the consequences of their actions, on a personal level, let alone on a cosmic scale!"

"But it's what you busy yourselves with, too. With such trivial matters, you're all so damn busy inside your tiny little heads." He tapped the locket against his temple several times.

"This world is so much bigger than you lot know. It's not all a big adventure, globe hopping and saving the day with a swashbuckling, lackadaisical camaraderie."

"Things have repercussions. And with so many things on this pathetic world, everything from ancient gods and demons, to deadly monstrosities and creatures from other worlds, this planet needs someone powerful enough, strong enough, smart enough and _worthy_ enough to fight them."

"And that's… you?"

"It's better than you lot. You think you have the legacy to carry on his work, their work. But you're children, constantly in petty squabbles between yourselves, led by a decrepit old man, who deceived my father into believing his own crude, foolish plans."

"My father was wrong, and he paid the price for it. And now, so will all of you!"

"Nah. I don't think so." Said another voice. Jerome.

"Now, you see, here's the thing, old boy." He spoke quietly, but there was a tense burning inside him. A similar locket bounced against his chest, this one beech and set with an asscher shaped topaz, which glowed brightly.

"Throughout my short time on Earth, I've learned many difficult things, tough lessons on humility, strength, and empathy."

He grabbed Jack by the shoulder, throwing him back onto the stone steps.

Listening over his shoulder, he heard his friend regain her breathe, then with an assured, confident smile, he turned back to Jack.

"I was once a scared and vulnerable. I get it. But it's okay to reach out. It took me too long to realise that."

He smiled, holding back tears.

"The thing is, though, I've gotten over that, just enough to make a better life for myself. And it was great. People had forgiven me, and I'd nearly, _nearly_ , forgiven myself."

"But then you came along, and my life spiralled back out of control." He no longer spoke a cheery, positive manner, but quickly and with a hint of rage.

"My business has gone down the toilet, threatening the livelihoods of many people who depend on me." He began to count on his fingers. "My friends have had their lives, their relationships and their _families_ thrown into turmoil. You've destroyed dozens of lives, been close to murdering hundreds more, and my sister…" his voice cracked. Jack's smile simply grew.

"My sister lost her _child_. She miscarried and it was _your_ fault!"

Jack began to laugh, but it turned to gurgling screams of pain when a pair of fingers began to dig and twist into his chest.

"A bullet is too fucking _merciful_ for you." He grasped the man's air in his fingers, and repeatedly drove his head into the brass plated nosing of the step, smashing it again and again until fragments of brain and skull were visible.

Now freed from his grasp, the eleven spectators exhaled loudly.

Alfie ran over.

"Mate… mate, it's okay." He cried, embracing his best friend.

The great doors to the church swung open. It was Fabian, with Mara just behind him, carrying the younger Nina. Seeing the dying body of their former foe, she quickly and instinctively covered her daughter's eyes.

Amber looked around, from Jack, across her friends, to her fellow founding members of Sibuna.

"After all these years, it's done, finally done." She smiled sympathetically.

"And for the first time, we're all together."

Eventually, Jack's death throes ebbed away, and those who were cried calmed.

The church was silent now.

"So quiet. I could hear a pin drop, if I had one." Victor quipped, having the worst timing.


	12. Chapter 12: House of Holidays

House of Anubis: House of Homecoming.

Chapter Twelve: House of Holidays.

That weekend was Fabian's concert. Despite everything, he'd managed to secure some extra tickets at the very last minute. His bandmates were a little confused, however, when nearly a dozen strangers joined him and his wife and daughter backstage.

It took several weeks, but the church was eventually cleaned up, with believable excuses dished out to the police and the press.

Eddie had scolded Victor for concealing a gun and shooting Jack, during what later became colloquially referred to as the Jack Climax. In a retort, Victor claimed he was, in his own words, "ten times older" and a "hundred times more experienced", and he was "the only one of the two of them willing to do what was necessary".

After this argument, the two never spoke to each other until days before Victor's death.

With no elixir left, his health continued to deteriorating, struggling more and more with his oxygen mask and his wheelchair, until he died peacefully in his sleep.

He was cremated in early September, his ashes buried in a columbarium, alongside Evelyn and Sarah's own urns.

As for Nina, she'd spent several weeks in hospital, Fabian desperate to keep her safe and confined to a bed until they were all absolutely sure she was a hundred percent fit and healthy.

It was the early afternoon on the 24th before Nina was judged physically fit enough to leave.

She was picked up in Mick's minibus, a big old rusty thing, repainted to match the striped colours of his team back in Australia. She climbed in, with the help of Amber, and made herself comfortable, with Mick constantly apologising for the mess his charity team had made in the back of it, with muddy footprints, neon vests and loose training cones dotted all around.

"Sorry again. You know, with everything that's been going on, I've been super busy and never have the time to really get stuck in and make a start on it all."

"Its okay, Mick. I've been through so much these past few months, it doesn't bother me."

He continued to apologise all along the journey. Amber, eventually managed to interrupt, explaining to Nina that her memories of the fashion show, was all a distorted dream. In reality, it was Jack who had visited the fashion show. Jack had been a person of interest with the police for a separate incident, and he had convinced Amber and Mick he had been framed, and had used them as an excuse to leave. The hooded figures had been Jack's earliest acolytes, and rather than escaping in the SUV, Jack had continued their discussion in his personal limousine.

They drove to a fairly immodest house, beautifully decorated with Christmas lights.

On the front yard, joined by a huge, inflatable Santa Claus, stood Eddie and Patricia, joined by Piper and her twins, a pair of adorable girls called Jade and Nikita, who fidgeted on the iron railings.

Joy and Willow popped out and gave a hand guiding the minibus to parallel park. Nina slowly walked herself to the front step, slightly overwhelmed by seeing the twins for the first time, their energy and curiosity at her plastered arm and the various stitches and bandages that peeked out from her thick winter coat.

"Just wait until you see Nina Junior." Eddie jibed.

Nina blushed.

The house was as wonderfully decorated inside and out. Nina would later learn that the house belonged to Eddie's half-sister, Annabelle, who was spending an early Kwanza in Brazil with her husband and in-laws. A poky two bedroom abode at the best of times, the little semi-detached seemed miniscule when filled with a dozen adults and several children.

Nina walked into the hallway. A mighty grandfather clock was smothered in tinselled. Wreaths dotted every inch of the walls, shelves were bustling with glass, plastic and wooden ornaments.

Since the Jack Climax, Jerome had been suffering heavily from depression, and had to return to his therapy sessions. Luckily for the pair of them, he and Poppy were closer than ever. He sat at the bottom of the stairs, glass of eggnog in hand, accompanied by Alfie.

She gave the pair a brief wave, then turned and peeked into the living room. She saw a magnificent tree sat in the corner, next to an upright piano, from which was coming a beautiful rendition of _Winter Wonderland_ , performed by a handsome young man, with vocal accompaniment from a young girl that sat on the stool next to him.

The pair of them stopped, mid-verse, and turned around.

"Hey, there" Fabian smiled. "Good to see you healthy and sane" he then laughed.

The young girl ran over and hugged Nina, stunning her. After a brief pause, the older Nina wrapped her free arm around the kid.

"Hello Nina. My name is Nina too!" The younger one said, in her usual blunt way.

"It's very nice to meet you." She paused. "Again. Hope you're feeling okay."

The older Nina pulled away, "I'm good, the doctors and nurses made me all better. Later on, would you like to draw me a picture on my arm?"

The child looked at the white lump of plaster that stuck out from her coat sleeve, and then looked up to her mother, who was in the middle of carrying food from the kitchen to the dining room.

"Go for it, darling. You know where the felt tips are."

The younger Nina ended up creating a wonderful, wintry landscape, helped by the fact that the plaster was already a natural, bright white. The twins also joined in, but mainly restricted themselves to small doodles and scribbles. Eventually, though, the children got bored, and all of them returned to playing with their _Lewis and Clark_ branded toys.

Nina wasn't the only one confused about her previous encounter at their work. Thought they still didn't fully understand it themselves, the gang had deduced it was an early episode, possibly the first, where Jack had managed to get her completely under her spell. With the help of the gang, however, they'd managed to fix up their office and, despite everything with Jerome, the shop soon returned to being one of the most popular independent toy shops in the whole of England.

The other businesses boomed too, with Willow's spa being host to several parties, Piper being offered her own classical music tour in the New Year, and Mara being nominated a well-paid position at an international journalism company.

But still, Nina felt violated. How often had Jack taken advantage of her? And how much damage had she done to her friends in the mean time? Although she was grateful he was gone and the ordeal was pretty much done with, she would have to live with that feeling for the rest of her life. Luckily, those friends were compassionate and empathetic. They were a family now, her only family. And she was so grateful. Hopefully, whatever damage

The dinner was ready. Beginning with a buffet of hors d'oeuvres, the gang had turducken, with all the trimmings, roasted vegetables and sides, along with a mushroom nut loaf and gazpacho, with macaroni cheese for the kids. They finished off with trifles, chocolate logs and good old Christmas pudding.

After putting the twins to bed, everyone wrapped themselves up in blankets and with the fire on; they watched Christmas movies until the younger Nina's own bedtime. She said her goodnights and handed out hugs to everyone, and went off to sleep.

With all the children upstairs, Eddie walked around the room, pouring everyone a glass of champagne.

Finishing off with his wife's glass, he began a speech.

"These past few years have seen us… all of us… go through so many things. Troubles at work, home and family lives, worrying for the safety of ourselves at the future. But today, we celebrate Nina Martin, the woman who brought us all together, her presence her today the greatest gift any of us could receive."

Fabian chimed in.

"Nina, you've changed all of our lives, absolutely for the better. Whether it was in person, or in spirit, you have helped us grow from the nosy little _miscreants_ …"

Everyone chuckled.

"…to the loyal, hardworking family we all love being a part of, every day."

Mara kissed him on the cheek.

"That goes triple for me, Nina." She smiled.

"You gave me confidence." added Alfie.

"You helped me conquer my fears…" that was Joy.

"Helped me see the best in myself," grinned Mick.

"And see the best in others." Jerome tried a smile.

Piper, Patricia, Amber and Willow also joined in with their praise.

KT was last and simply apologised for staring at her. It was the first time the two of them had actually met, and they were both in awe of each other.

For a moment, the pair forgot they had company. They looked deep into each other's eyes…

The clock that sat atop the piano struck midnight, waking them back from their gazing.

"Ahhh! Merry Christmas! Squee!" Willow squeaked.

Without discussing it, the gang unanimously decided to join in, squee-ing together as they tapped their glasses together, and gulped down the bubbly.

 _ **The End**_

 _ **A/N: Happy holidays! Hope you've all enjoyed my story.**_

 _ **For those who were wondering, I had only started watching HoA earlier this year, borrowing DVDs and finding it on whatever streaming sites had it available at the time. Despite being very late to the party, I would like to thank you all for allowing me to re-enter the world of fan-fiction writing, and welcoming me, with open arms, to the House of Anubis fan community.**_

 _ **I won't immediately continue with this story, as I hope to focus on other things, but I am not ruling out a return to the HoA universe, possibly a prequel, at some point. If anyone has been inspired by this work and wishes to collaborate with me, that is something I may also consider.**_

 _ **That being said, in the immediate future, I hope to concentrate on IRL stuff, but also delve into other stories and worlds. If you join me then, I look forward to speaking to you all. If not, then once again I thank you for reading, and I wish you a happy and prosperous 2019.**_

 _ **Sibuna forever.**_


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